Why
is it that so-called kids’ movies seem to cause so much
controversy? After more than a little hoo-ha over the Harry
Potter films supposedly glorifying paganism, we saw similar
treatment of The Golden Compass on its theatrical release;
with accusations of anti-Christian (specifically, anti-Catholic)
bias in the film. As one astute commentator recently pointed
out however, there was no accompanying kafuffle over The
Chronicles of Narnia and its overtly pro-Christian approach.
Still, none of that need concern us here, because our concern
is to evaluate it as a film – and on that score, it was
surprisingly good. I went into this with memories of New Line’s
last foray into fantasy – the Lord of the Rings
trilogy – and the expectation that this was likely to
be LOTR-lite. To some extent I was correct, with the climactic
battle sequence very reminiscent of similar scenes from LOTR;
but this film manages to stand on its own feet in several significant
ways.
It’s of course based on Phillip Pullman’s novel
Northern Lights, part of the His Dark Materials series.
Like Tolkien and Peter Jackson, Pullman and screenwriter/director
Chris Weitz take us to a fantastical other-world, a place familiar
yet strange. In this world, people’s souls don’t
reside in their body, they walk (or fly) beside them in animal
form. These daemons, as they’re known, are crucial to
the story; and also have the kid-friendly ability to speak to
their hosts.
Dakota Blue Richards plays Lyra Belacqua, the hero of the piece.
She’s a girl who lives and studies in the hallowed halls
of Jordan, a college much like Oxford or Cambridge. Her uncle
Asriel (Daniel Craig) is investigating a mysterious phenomenon
known as ‘dust’, but not the kind you find around
the house. This ‘dust’ is a kind of cosmic force
that might provide a passageway to alternative universes. The
powerful Magisterium, represented by Fra Pavel (Simon McBurney)
is most upset at this development, branding it heresy. They’re
determined to stamp it out; and to that end, enlist the services
of the rather duplicitous Mrs Coulter (Nicole Kidman) in a complicated
plan. To fully explain this would take far too long; but suffice
to say it involves children, their daemons, kidnappings, talking
polar bears, a secret facility and a crafty device known as
an alethiometer, or golden compass.
Philip Pullman’s novels, it has to be said, aren’t
exactly aimed at kids. The books are more for teenagers and
consequently, they’re rather more complex than the average
kids’ book. That comes through in The Golden Compass,
which to its great credit doesn’t treat its audience like
idiots. There’s a lot going on here; and a lot of high-minded
ideals are explored.
It
should be said that the film is also quite violent (for example,
the battle scene mentioned earlier); but the blow is softened
by the device of having people’s daemons disappear in
a puff of sparks and smoke. This means that, for all the violence,
there’s no blood to be seen at all. This means it’s
probably OK for older (say 10 plus) kids; but I’d be wary
about taking younger kids to see it.
Weitz, whose last feature film was 2002’s About a
Boy, keeps things rolling along (indeed, a little too quickly
at times) during the film’s relatively modest 113 minutes,
leaving little scope for character development. Indeed, the
film’s key weakness is in its undercooked script. The
good guys and bad guys aren’t clearly defined; and even
at the end, you’re still wondering about some of them.
At times the film becomes a bit repetitive (how many times can
they use a bellowing polar bear in one movie?), and a few scenes
are just plain silly, but it’s generally a pretty exciting
ride.
On the other hand, this is a film that offers plenty of bang
for your school holiday buck, and I doubt many will come out
of the theatre dissatisfied. The special effects are literally
something special; and the vivid array of characters, daemons
and assorted nasties keep things interesting throughout.
Dakota Blue Richards (great name) does a sterling job as Lyra.
I did find her accent a bit disconcerting at times, as her Cockney
lilt seemed to come in and out through the film (although perhaps
that was intentional); but her performance as the plucky young
heroine is good. Nicole Kidman, whose part is significant but
surprisingly brief, doesn’t disappoint; but Daniel Craig
– whose part is even smaller – is a little wooden
(although again, that might be intentional). Sam Elliot gets
some of the film’s best moments as a cowboy-style aviator.
In the end, perhaps oddly, the brouhaha over The Golden
Compass effectively bolstered the film’s central
premise, which promotes with the exercise of free will in the
face of authoritarian pressure. It’s a premise I would
endorse. Exercise your own free will in deciding whether to
see this film or not; and don’t be swayed by the hype.
From a purely filmic point of view, this is a fairly remarkable
achievement. Whether it spawns the mooted series of sequels
remains to be seen, but in the meantime, it’s worthwhile
(though far from perfect) fare for older kids and adults.
